University of South Carolina Dorm Tour

Finally, the post I've been absolutely dying to share, MY DORM TOUR!

I'm a big believer that the physical space you live in has a huge impact on your mental state, so I made it a point to create a room that was not only functional and well-organized, but also fit my personal style and felt home-y. My roommate Abby and I worked really hard to create a space we both loved, and we're so excited to finally get to show it off. So, without further adieu...

My Bed

My bed is the actual comfiest ever. I transformed the hard, plastic-y dorm mattress using a bed bug cover, cushy memory foam mattress topper, and a body pillow between my bed and the wall, topped the softest organic sheets, a weighted blanket, and a light duvet. It's extra and it's heavenly.

We decided to go with matching comforters, shelves, and nightstands, but style them in different ways to fit each of our aesthetics and not be aggressively matchy.

We tacked Christmas lights up around the room and they make it feel so much cozier, especially in the evenings so we don't have to use our harsh overhead light.

Above each of our beds, we hung these adorable circle shelves which are unique and add a modern touch to the room.

On my shelf I have pictures of some of my favorite people, fake peonies, my favorite Bible verse, and a cute "M" from Abby!

In between our beds we keep our essential oil diffuser, oils, and letterboard (I hope you guys all get my Vine reference)!

Abby's Bed and Desk Area

If you look closely, you can see the Matisse Abby recolored on photoshop to match our room. I LOVE it.

My Desk

Quick shoutout to The Everygirl for the print above my desk that inspires me daily! It reads, "You're not the kind of girl who settles, so keep not settling." They have the same one in their office and I adore it!

My desk doubles as a vanity, so my friend Sydney helped me cover one of the pull-out sections in marble contact paper just for fun. I love my light-up mirror for getting ready in the morning without waking Abby up.

Jewelry Storage

I use a peg board with hooks for my necklaces and bracelets.

Abby holds her stuff with these neat cork hexagons.

Food & Other Storage

Next to my desk is our coffee cart, microwave and fridge, and my wardrobe.

The coffee cart has to be one of my favorite parts of the dorm, we can keep all of our teas, coffee, and mugs in one place with the Keurig.

We store laundry/cleaning supplies on Abby's side of the room along with some food and dishes.

And that's all! Thanks so much for taking a look into our little corner of USC.

SEE MORE ON INSTAGRAM

Tell me in the comments: what's your favorite corner/part of your dorm, home, or apartment?

Stay Sunny,

Meg

Photos by Abby Dodson

Dorm Inspiration + What I've Bought

I could tell my roommate, Abby, and I would get along when the first thing we did after signing our housing contract was create a joint Pinterest board called "Meg and Abby's Dorm Board." We're both creative and visually oriented (she's a graphic design major with great style), so we knew from the get-go that our dorm needed to show our personalities well while being practical and home-y. Pictures of dream rooms have been sent back-and-forth on the reg and we've slowly been compiling items to take to school next year. I wanted to share a peek at our design inspiration and color palette today, plus what we've already purchased!

We noticed that a common theme among the spaces on our Pinterest board: their natural color schemes with pops of color and minimalistic, but not barren, decor. We loved white bedding with different, fun, throw pillows and plan to implement that in the fall! Plus, we both are huge coffee gals (Abby works at a coffee shop!) so we are excited to create this little coffee cart in our room. 

Instead of being aggressively match-y, we decided on a group of colors to work with in the dorm. We want lots of whites and grays, plus accents of light pink, periwinkle, and gold. Isn't that cute!?

So far, we've bought a few things at a time that we really love instead of trying to get the shopping done in one (stressful) swoop. Here are some of the things we've gotten so far... click on the "+" to shop, or scroll for links if you are on mobile view!

1. Circle Shelf: These will go over each of our beds and will hold frames, books, plants, etc. I love them because they'll keep the dorm design symmetrical but we can each style them in our own way. The back has two holes for hanging so we will use Command Hooks!
2. Triangle Pillow (on sale!): I love how this pillow will add some texture to my bed. Plus, it ships vacuum-sealed so it'll be flat and save space in the car for move-in.
3. Keurig: This was a graduation gift from my aunt and uncle and I already know it's going to be used heavily next year.
4. Rug: I searched for a cute rug for forever, and let me tell you: this is one of the best ones out there.  A lot of rugs I looked at had reviews that said they shed or show dirt easily, and this is not the case with this rug! We got it in a 5x7 which should work for a typical dorm room. I love how it's print will add a fun touch to the room, but it's not so busy that it will completely take over the design.
5. Gold Desk Organizer: HOW FUN is this!? It holds a surprisingly large amount of supplies so I can have some extra storage that doubles as decor.
6. Prints (1) (2): I actually already had these hanging in my room, but I will definitely be taking them with me to hang at school. They are so feminine and fun.

I can't wait to finish up shopping and share the final product with you all!

College girls: Let me know in the comments -- what were some essentials you bought for your dorm? I need help!

Stay Sunny,

Meg

DIY Yarn Wall Hanging + Gallery Wall Update

This is going to sound creepy, but to me it's so fun to get a look inside someone's home. That's why I love seeing the unique apartment tours of bloggers online and on Instagram.  A recent inspiration to me is Lee From America and her breezy, minimal LA loft. It has natural decorations that create a calming atmosphere, such as plants and a yarn wall hanging. I loved the wall hanging so much I decided to make a mini one of my own! It spices up my gallery wall and adds a new medium to the arrangement. I was even able to customize the colors to fit my space. These can be made in any size, and they would be a fun addition to any dorm, home, or bedroom!

To make your own...

What You'll Need
Yarn (I used this one and this one)
Scissors
Wooden dowel (Here are 10 12 inch ones for $3)

 

Instructions
1. Cut a piece of paper to the size and shape of the wall hanging that you want
2. Measure and cut the dowel with scissors or a small saw, then file the end so that it is smooth
3. Double the yarn with a loop at the top to have enough yarn to tie the knot, use the paper template as a guide for length

4. Tie a knot around the dowel in the middle of the piece of yarn

5. Pull apart a piece of yarn and tie each end onto the dowel to use for hanging

Shop my: Rifle Paper Floral Print | Rifle Paper Rosa Print
stay sunny,
meg